Passion for music, art helped cement their bond
Mohammad and Shahed … a meeting of destiny
Today’s article takes a look at young couple Mohammad Yadikar and Shahed Hussein Al Ali. – Editor
MBy Lidia Qattan
ohammad Yadikar and Shahed Hussein Al Ali were brought together by the hand of destiny, each discovering in the other an affinity of mind and soul that drove them closer cementing their friendship into a holy marriage
It all started with video games and music. Music is the universal language that uplifts the human soul. All lovers of music are friends; for they share the same feelings and yearning for the elevating power of music. From the time music became no longer the prerogative of the privileged few to enjoy, people from all over the world have come closer to one another in thoughts and feelings coalescing into a body of humanity.
Communicating through the Internet, video games and music Shahed discovered in Mohammad a cultured, educated young man whose mentality she strongly admired. The attraction was mutual; for though by nature Mohammad is very shy he could communicate his thought and ideas to Shahed as to no one else. From their mutual admiration a strong friendship developed eventually leading to love and marriage.
Besides music and video games Shahed and Mohammad have other things in common, both their fathers were taken prisoners to Iraq during the first phase of the invasion while fighting heroically to halt the Iraqi avalanche from advancing. Mohammad was only two years old when on the 2nd of August 1990 Iraq invaded his country, of that period he remembers the anguish of his mother alone with two young children to look after when his father was captured; only when after the liberation he was released and came home he saw his mother returning to her cheerful self again. This incident and the suffering he saw in her eyes remained indelible in his mind, making him particularly considerate of the woman he married, whom he adores, respects and cherishes.
Generosity
Two keys open the heart of a woman: respect and generosity, the one without the other is not enough. Mutual respect and consideration are essential in a happy marriage and so is generosity. By generosity I don’t mean merely material things, there is more to it. Are the little things, especially companionship and consideration that makes a women feel loved and respected. Mohammed seems to know instinctively how to make his lady happy, treating her as his equal, even sharing domestic duties with her. Being an artist, a musician it comes natural to him to improvise melodies on his guitar to communicate his feelings for her in a way he could not express them in words.
On the other hand Shahed was horn after the invasion, she only heard of her family’s ordeal from those around her. During the first hours of the invasion her father was seriously wounded and most of his companions perished in the desperate fighting to hold-back the invaders, his companion next one to him died instantly when a bomb exploded nearby and he himself was blinded in one eye by the flying shrapnel. At a prisoners camp in Iraq a doctor removed some of the shrapnel but not those deeper inside his brain.
Fearing for her husband and determined to have him released her mother, Nawal Al Awadi, a strong-minded lady ventured to go to Iraq in person, taking along one of her children, a four years old little boy who absolutely refused to be separated from her. Incidentally seeing her traveling alone with a little boy the officials at the frontier took kindly to her and allowed her pass. In Iraq people were
Lidia Qattan
On the other hand video games spurred Shahed to become fast in reading; criticized by her peers because of her proficiency in reading, she was avoiding them and turning even more to video games and music for consolation.
At graduation from high school in 2006, Mohammad enrolled at the Institute of Wireless Communication in the Shwaikh Technical College from which he graduated in 2009.
Incidentally while playing video games not only made him fluent in English language but also awakened in him a strong feeling for music which developed into a passion spurring him to attend concerts to see how musicians were laying the notes. He was 18 years old when he got his driving license and bought his first guitar, but only when he started working in 2010, and got his first salary he bought a professional guitar and an electric one, and began seriously devoting his spare time playing music, learning from books and from the concerts he was attending.
Every child is born with musical abilities the difference is in how he makes use of his gifts, this varies according to upbringing, to family surroundings and to temperament. Mohammad’s earliest attraction to music was what his father was playing in the home and the music accompanying video games, later, going to concerts inspired him to practice.
Patience
Practicing on his guitar for hours taught him patience; he also became keener in listening to the many audible manifestations of nature: the soft bubbling of water, the whispering and rustling of leaves in the wind and to other sounds he tried to reproduce on his guitar. His mother listening to his music encouraged him to register it because in listening to it he could improve and develop it. His sister was also delighted every time he sat to play. Incidentally one of his pieces played on the Internet was for Shahed before he married her.
Shahed is currently completing her high education majoring in art at the Tarbiya Assasiya College (Essential Education’s College), Kuwait University. At graduation from high school her intention was to major in English Literature and reserve Art as her second choice, but technicalities in the system had her to major in art. Incidentally studying art and its various techniques: painting, sculpture, pottery and jewellery made her fall in love with the subject, for she loves to work with her hands and be able to express her thoughts and feeling through the created form, especially in pottery in which she scores the best in class.
At graduation in 2016 a teaching career is open for her, such a responsibility intimidates her, but it is precisely her fear of not being able to handle the naughty ones that will spur her to succeed and become a good teacher; for she has the potentials, besides she is married to a cultured young man who is primarily her best friend and companion, he will help her through.
With so much in common their union born of love, of mutual respect, open communication and understanding has all the basics of a successful, happy marriage.